India’s elite special operations force National Security Guard (NSG) has begun training with the anti-Naxal force, the Greyhounds, which best specialises in jungle warfare. According to sources, a group of NSG commandos are being trained in a restricted area in Hyderabad. The NSG told News18 that the force is undergoing the training under Greyhounds and “it is a routine training”.

Officials said it is the first time that the NSG is being properly trained in anti-Naxal operations by a specialised anti-Naxal force. Sources said the government had discussed a plan in 2013 to give such a training, however, it was never executed.

“It’s been almost six weeks since training started. The team, which has been trained, will not be used for routine operations but for special operations, according to the government order. The team is learning skills to deal with Naxals from Greyhounds and will be ready for operations in the Red zone, the hotbed of Naxal activities day and night. It will help forces in case of special operations,” a senior NSG official aware of the development told News18 on the condition of anonymity.

Sources confirmed that in future, the mandate of a hub of NSG may also likely to get changed.

For jungle operations, the NSG was used in search of Veerappan in 2002. But after a sometime, all 140 NSG commandos were withdrawn from the Special Task Force (STF) to catch Veerappan and rescue a minister after they failed to search him.

NSG operates in anti-terrorist activities in all its manifestation and is used only in exceptional circumstances to thwart serious acts of terrorism.